Shoe



July 14, 1936. T. WARNER 2,047,756

SHOE

Filed Feb. 20, 1934 INVENTOR Truy Warner W 2 m ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE Truly Warner, New York, N. Y. Application February 20, 1934, Serial No. 712,207

1 Claim. (01. 36-76) The present invention relates to shoes and it has for its object to provide a shoe with an arch support externally applied and of such character that it will form an extension of the tread portion of the sole and prevent the. breaking down of the arched shank'at a point immediately adjacent to the ball portion of the sole, thus adding materially to the comfort of the wearer and pre serving the support afforded by the arched shank to the foot, and preventing the shoe from breaking down at that point.

To the above ends the present invention consists of a shoe provided externally with an attached arch support extending transversely across the fore part of the shank immediately adjacent to the union of the shank portion with the ball portion of the sole and so constructed as to support the shank portion immediately adjacent the ball portion and forming at the same time a continuation of the tread portion of the sole.

The present invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a shoe in side elevation with the arch support applied thereto;

Figure 2 shows a bottom plan view; and

Figln'e 3 shows the arch support before it is applied to the shoe.

Similar reference characters will be employed throughout the specification and drawing to designate corresponding parts.

The shoe comprises an upper I. a heel 2, and an outsole 3, all of which parts may be of any usual or preferred construction. As shown, the heel 2 may be provided with a rubber lift 4, and the sole 3 from a point approximating the ball portion I and extending forwardly thereof will preferably have a flat tread portion I and rearwardly of the ball portion I will be arched to form the shank portion 1. Such a shoe when worn by a person with a weak arch, or "flat-,

footed as it is usually expressed, quickly breaks down, more particularly at the junction of the shank and the ball portion, producing not only great discomfort to the wearer but distorting and destroying the arched shank l and the appearance of the shoe generally.

To obviate this difficulty I provide the arch support I externally applied to the outer surface of the sole and extending transversely beneath the upwardly extending arched portion 1 immediately adjacent to and at the rear of the ball portion I as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. The arch support I is preferably made of rubber and is of a length to extend in an oblique line from side to side of the marginal edges of the sole as shown in Figure 2, one end I being shapedtoconformtothedssofthesoleatthe outer side of the shoe, while the opposite end I0 is shaped to conform to the edge of the sole at the inner side of the shoe. While being of substantial width the arch support 8 is relatively narrow, and when applied as shown in Figures 1 and 2 covers a relatively narrow upturned por-' tion of the shank I immediately adjacent and at the rear of the ball portion l5. Its under surface It and its upper surface I! are angularly disposed to each other and meet along the forward thin edge l3, its rear edge It being relatively thick, and when applied the forward edge I3 will be on a line substantially conforming to the junction of the upwardly curved shank portion 1 and the ball portion 5 of the sole extends rearwardly thereof, whereby the upper surface will fit the shank portion and its under surface II will form a substantial extension of the tread portion 6 of the sole, whereby a firm tread will be provided as well as an effective support for the arch l. The arch support is preferably aiiixed by a suitable adhesive and when in place will at once proclaim to the observer its presence but in a manner not objectionable in so far as the appearance of the shoe is concerned. It will effectually support the arch portion of the foot and prevent the breaking down and distortion of the shoe when worn by persons having weakened arches, or flat-footed persons.

It is to be noted that the arch support while affording eflective support to the forward end of the shank does not in any way interfere with the flexibility of the shank when the shoe is in use.

I claim:

A shoe comprising an upper, an outsole, and a heel, :the outsole being upwardly bent from a point adjacent the ball portion of the tread to the breast of the heel to form an arched shank, an arch support comprising a beveled strip having a thin forward edge and a thick rear edge, said strip being of a length to extend in a diagonal direction from edge to edge of the sole at the forward end of the shank and of a width approximating one-third of the length of the shank between the tread surface of the sole and the breast of the heel, the uppersurface of said arch support being inclined and the under surface substantially horizontal, said upper and lower surfaces merging into and forming the forward edge, said arch support secured to the exterior of the outer sole adjacent to and merging 'I'RULY WARNER. 

